Ceramic Coating for Cars: How It Helps and What It Can’t Do

Want to preserve the aesthetic appeal of your newly bought car for years to come? Covering it with a ceramic coating can keep it looking as good as new with minimal maintenance. So, let’s talk about ceramic coating… its remarkable qualities and limitations.

Ceramic Coating Demystified

It is essentially a liquid polymer… typically made of elements like silicon dioxide (SiO2), organosilane compounds, and fluorinated groups.

Silicon dioxide aka silica, upon curing, forms a robust structure that can provide exceptional hardness and resistance to scratches. Organosilane compounds facilitate formation of strong covalent bond with the vehicle’s paint surface. Fluorinated groups reduce the surface energy of the coating… making it hydrophobic. Such coatings are quite effective at dissipating UV energy, thereby preventing oxidation and fading of the paint.

How Does Ceramic Coating Help?

#1- Protects against UV rays: Ultraviolet radiation is essentially a kind of electromagnetic radiation with shorter wavelengths and higher energy than visible light. The issue with such high energy rays is that… by exciting the chemical bonds among pigment molecules, they can cause your vehicle’s paint to fade and look dull. Ceramic coating can effectively deflect UV rays, preventing oxidation and photo-degradation of paint.

#2- Scratch and swirl resistance: It is fairly common for cars to sustain scratches and swirl marks from everyday activities. Using abrasive cleaning agents or sponges to wash the vehicle may result in light scratches and swirl marks on the surface. Impact from road debris when driving over rough terrain can also cause imperfections on the vehicle’s paint. Ceramic coating can make your beloved car resistant to minor scratches and swirl marks.

#3- Hydrophobic properties: Water droplets left on your vehicle’s paint after a washing session or rain, if not removed promptly, can evaporate and leave behind unsightly water spots. Getting rid of such deposits won’t be easy. Not only can these marks tarnish your vehicle’s appearance, but they can also make it look dirty or aged. Since ceramic coatings have hydrophobic properties, they can easily slide off any water residue away from the paint surface… effectively preventing water spot formation.

#4- Enhanced gloss and shine: No matter what you do, you can’t make your vehicle’s paint last forever. Its shine will degrade over time due to continual exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays and environmental contaminants like dust, dirt, and industrial fallout. However, applying ceramic coatings can help delay the process of discoloration. The coating can give the surface a deeper and glossy shine, resembling a freshly detailed car.

#5- Chemical resistance: Ceramic coatings are quite effective at protecting vehicle paint against elements like bird droppings, tree sap, road salts, insect residue, and harmful chemicals. By creating a protective barrier between these substances and your vehicle’s surface… it helps preserving your paint’s finish.

What Ceramic Coating Can't Do?

#1- It doesn't make your car scratch-proof: Ceramic coating, when applied properly, can provide an additional layer of protection to your vehicle’s paintwork. However, this protection has its limits… and can’t safeguard your car’s surface against things like major impacts from road debris, brush contact with trees, or bushes etc. Sharp objects can penetrate the ceramic coating and damage the paint underneath if impact force is strong enough.

#2- It doesn't protect against all environmental hazards: Although ceramic coatings offer quite effective protection against UV rays, water, dirt, and other similar corrosive elements… things like bird droppings, water spots resulted from acid rain, and insect remains can penetrate through the coating and damage the vehicle’s paintwork. Regular washing of your vehicle’s surface is therefore important. By eliminating etch marks and stains off the vehicle’s surface… it can help preserve the aesthetic appeal of your vehicle’s paintwork for years to come.

#3- It is not a permanent solution: Ceramic coatings are durable… no one is arguing this. But they are not invincible. They have a limited lifespan and may last anywhere from 1 to 5 years.

Concluding Remark

Ceramic coatings are quite effective at preserving vehicle’s paintwork for a very long time… They provide effective protection against UV rays, dust, dirt, bird droppings, and other similar elements. However, they have their limitations. Since they degrade over time… have your vehicle’s ceramic coating checked regularly. Consider applying a new one if the current one appears to have lost its scratch resistance and hydrophobic properties.